I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 25

Chapter 25   Staying Over 3

“It’s fine, Senpai, you can use the bed too.”

Finally understanding what Shinohara meant, I rolled over, facing away from her.

“I can’t share a bed with a junior I’m not dating.”

“That’s a cool principle, but just go to sleep then.”

“I can’t. I can’t fall asleep.”

“Then just come over here.”

I sensed Shinohara sit up slightly. Even though it was dark, I could feel her gaze on my back.

Normally, I wouldn’t even consider it, but this time, I hesitated. The guest futon I was using just didn’t feel comfortable, making it hard to sleep.

…That’s just an excuse, though. The truth is, her invitation had an irresistible pull that made me consider it, even though I would usually brush it off lightly. Her sultry voice in the dark seemed to resonate in my ears.

I stood up from the futon, stumbling through the dark until I found my way to the bed.

“Here you go.”

Shinohara must have been able to see me in the dark because she reached out and guided me to sit next to her. As I sat down, I could feel her scent grow stronger, and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could just make out her face.

“I’ll scoot over to the wall. Just don’t kick me in your sleep.”

“I’m not that bad of a sleeper.”

I shot back, and Shinohara smiled at my response.

“Then that’s fine.”

She shifted toward the wall and rested her head on the pillow. I placed my own pillow next to hers and slowly lay down. Even though I was facing away from her, the mere fact that we were only inches apart made me acutely aware of every breath.

I thought it would make sleeping even harder, but instead, I felt strangely content. The ticking of the clock had faded without me noticing.

When the rustling of pillows and hair finally stopped, a quiet, unspoken moment passed between us. The lack of steady breathing told me she wasn’t asleep yet either. As I stared into the darkness, Shinohara finally spoke.

“You’re really dependable, Senpai.”

Though her words were vague, I understood what she meant without needing further explanation.

“…A really dependable guy wouldn’t let a girl he’s not dating stay over at his place, though.”

“True.”

“Hey, don’t just agree like that!”

I cracked a joke, and the tension loosened a bit. Outside, it sounded like it had started raining. The late-night rain softly tapping the ground echoed in the quiet room. Unable to sleep, I stared blankly into the dark space. Just as my eyes were getting used to the darkness, it felt like the faint light was gradually disappearing. Maybe clouds were covering the moon.

I kept my eyes open for a while, but soon grew tired of it.

“Senpai.”

“Yeah?”

“I was thinking about whether to say this earlier, while I had my eyes closed.”

Whatever Shinohara was about to bring up, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be something pleasant for me.

“Senpai, earlier, you talked about your ex. For the first time.”

My hunch was right. The excitement I’d been feeling deflated.

“Yeah. I guess it was the alcohol talking.”

I slightly regretted telling Shinohara about what happened with Reina. Talking about being cheated on—it was something that should have been left in the past. If Natsuki hadn’t brought it up, if Reina hadn’t called, if we hadn’t run into each other again… It was a memory that should have sunk to the depths of my mind, eventually fading away.

By telling Shinohara, I had solidified Reina’s story in my thoughts again. The time and energy spent thinking about something I couldn’t change felt like a waste.

Now that the alcohol was wearing off compared to earlier, I was starting to feel that way more strongly.

There was nothing left to say to Shinohara.

“Why did you tell me about it now?”

Shinohara asked quietly.

“I know you don’t like talking about personal stuff like that,” she continued, “from watching you all this time. So, even if it was because of the alcohol, I was happy that you told me.”

“Happy? Why?”

“Why?”

Her tone suggested she found my question a bit funny. But I didn’t understand her reasoning, so I stayed silent, waiting for her answer.

“Because it made me feel like you trust me.”

Trust. I repeated the word in my mind. Trusting someone. I understood the meaning, but I hadn’t said anything with that intention, so I had to think about it for a moment.

Honestly, I didn’t intend anything by it. I just found it hard to keep carrying everything on my own, and the alcohol had broken the dam, letting my feelings spill out.

“I got to see a side of you that no one else does.”

Her words brought Ayaka to mind.

Knowing a side of Ayaka that no one else did felt like a sign of trust between us, and I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me happy.

Thinking about it that way, I realized that I did trust Shinohara. Her interpretation—that showing her a side of me no one else saw was a sign of trust—was something I could agree with.

“Maybe,” I replied, sensing Shinohara shifting to face me. In the dim light, I could barely make out her face, and she was looking straight at me.

“But, the timing felt a bit sudden. Can I ask you something, Senpai?”

Her unusually serious tone made me realize what the question was.

“Did something happen with your ex?”

As I fell silent, I became aware of the soft patter of rain hitting the window. The rain that had been falling from the winter night sky was undoubtedly cold. The moonlight, which had been shining just moments ago, had disappeared, likely blocked by clouds, and I could no longer make out Shinohara’s expression.

And I knew this silence would be enough of an answer for her.

“Am I not trustworthy after all?”

“That’s an unfair question. Trusting someone and deciding whether to talk about something are two separate things.”

I didn’t want to talk about it because I wanted to forget about Reina. Telling Shinohara wouldn’t lead to anything; it was a matter that could only be resolved by my own feelings. Not wanting to discuss it had nothing to do with trusting her.

The two were entirely unrelated.

“Besides, if I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have let you stay here.”

There was no response, so I continued speaking toward the ceiling.

“Do you tell everything to the people you trust? Like, to me?”

It might have been a self-centered example.

But with how often she came over and now, lying under the same roof tonight, I didn’t think it was unreasonable to assume that she trusted me. I knew it was a one-sided and optimistic thought, but I was relieved that Shinohara showed no sign of disagreeing.

“…You’re right. I’m the same way.”

She spoke slowly, as if savoring each word.

“Trusting someone and sharing deeply personal things are two different matters.”

As if satisfied with the conversation, Shinohara laid back down again. Though I couldn’t see her, I had a sense that she had turned her back to me.

“I’m glad I know now. I guess everyone is like that,” she said.

“That’s just how I am. I don’t know about anyone else,” I replied.

“I’m sure they are. I’m the same way.”

Shinohara let out a small sigh and continued.

“There are still things I don’t want to tell you, Senpai.”

Was she talking about Ayaka? Or something related to her? Or perhaps something entirely different? As I pondered these possibilities, I realized something.

The desire to hear someone open up more, because you care about them—this was the same feeling Shinohara had probably been carrying until just now.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I just… really wanted to be trusted more,” she admitted.

I wanted to say it wasn’t strange, to say that I felt the same way. That I, too, wanted her to trust me enough to share the things she hadn’t told me yet. But there was a certain sadness in her voice that made me feel like this conversation was over.

“Good night,” she said.

Her voice lacked the warmth of her earlier words.

The cold rain, which had grown stronger at some point, tapped against the window. The space, now far from silent, somehow felt like a relief to me.